Levein appointed to Tannadice post

Monday 30 October 2006 16:37 BST

Craig Levein: new post

Craig Levein has been appointed the new manager of Dundee United after Craig Brewster left the Tannadice club "by mutual and amicable agreement".

The former Hearts and Leicester boss recently returned to management on a non-contract basis at Raith Rovers, but has been given a two-and-a-half year contract with the Tayside club who are currently struggling at the bottom of the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

Levein, 42, was linked with the vacant managerial post at Dunfermline but becomes the sixth Dundee United boss in the four years Eddie Thompson has been chairman of the club.

Thompson was confident his latest appointment would be a success.

He told the club's official website www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk: "I felt it was in the best interests of the club to move swiftly and appoint an experienced manager without undue delay.

"I have made extensive enquiries with knowledgeable people in the game and Craig Levein not only comes highly recommended in every category of the criteria set by the board, but has a proven track record and an excellent reputation for man management.

"He also has extensive contacts in England and abroad and these will be important as we look to strengthen the squad in the next transfer window.

"I am delighted to be able to announce his appointment today."

Levein expressed his gratitude to Thompson for the chance to to be back managing in the top flight in Scotland and vowed to try to guide the Tannadice side away from the relegation zone.

He said: "I am delighted to join Dundee United and to be back in the SPL.

"I wish to put on record my thanks to Raith Rovers over the last few weeks, but when Mr Thompson spoke with me about this job I felt I had to take the opportunity to come here.

"I fully appreciate the scale of the task before me but I am confident that I can help Dundee United to climb the league.

"I am under no illusions that there will be an easy quick fix, but I would not have taken the job if I did not believe I could make a difference nor would I have considered coming to Tannadice if I did not believe that there was a determination to succeed within the club.

"I have some experience of managing change at clubs and I'd like to assure United fans that based on my previous experiences and my initial impressions at Tannadice, this is not a club 'in crisis'.

"The infrastructure is sound, the budget is reasonable, there is a determination to succeed and the playing squad is better than the league position suggests.

"There is a lot of hard work ahead but with the support of everyone with Dundee United's best interests at heart, I am confident for the future."